FRUIT EMBARGO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21560, 3 August 1933, Page 11

FRUIT EMBARGO

AUSTRALIAN CITRUS CROPS LOST NEW ZEALAND MARKET COMPLAINTS BY GROWERS [from oub own correspondent] SYDNEY, July 27 The serious effect of the New Zealand embargo on the importation of Australian citrus fruits is becoming more and more apparent, and it is only with the utmost difficulty that Federal Ministers have been able to pacify the growers in various districts, who have been 'so badly affected, following the' loss of a valuable market. Conferences that have been held to discuss the position have been of an angry nature, and the Federal Government has come in for considerable criticism. With or without justification, the Government has been asked to take the whole of the blame, and has been accused of showing greater concern for the Tasmanian potato growers than for the orchardists of the other States. A conference held near Sydney a few days ago, at which the Minister for Markets, Mr. F. H. Stewart, was present, was particularly bitter until the Minister showed that he could be just as outspoken as the growers. Mr. Stewart, after hearing a recital of the losses suffered because of the disappearance of the New Zealand trade, said* there was a brighter side to the picture. The New Zealand embargo had shaken Australia from her lethargy and had forced her to explore new markets. The greatest problem was not the loss of a market of approximately 250,000 bushels in New Zealand, for it was estimated that, because of the intensive development of citrus farming, there would be in 1936 1,000,000 more bushels to market than the quantity produced in any year so far. Exports to Great Britain

In the United Kingdom, said the Minister, there was a market for 1,500,000 bushels during the four months which affected the Australian season. During the last five years the exports to Great Britain had averaged only 13,000 bushels annually. This year, as a result of the spur given by the New Zealand embargo, there 'were already 63,000 bushels on the water, and the total export to the British market, it was estimated, would be more than 200,000 bushels. People exporting to the United Kingdom not only had their full expenses guaranteed, but they had the benefit of 3s 6d a cwt. on the British market. Mr. Stewart said that attention was also being directed to Eastern Canada, which represented a potential market for 2,000,000 bushels. At present Australia was practically excluded from the Canadian market owing to transport difficulties, but negotiations were being carried on with the shipping companies and it was hoped that these would open the way to a further expansion of trade. No doubt they could look forward to the future with great confidence. Desire for New Zealand Market

One of the most growers | told the Minister that the New Zealand market had been lost because of laxity on the part of the Federal Government. The negotiations between the Federal and the New Zealand Governments had been of a feeble and lopsided nature. They had failed and the growers did not know why they had failed. The growers wanted the New Zealand market and they knew that> New Zealanders wanted Australian fruit. Growers of mandarins were particularly hard hit now that there was no New Zealand market. "What the Federal Government had done might have helped the orange growers, but it should be prepared to compensate the mandarin growers, who received no benefit. After various other speakers had severely criticised the Minister for his failure to reach an agreement with New Zealand, Mr. Stewart said that if he had been a more experienced politician he might have spent more time in telling the growers what he had done. Then, perhaps, they would not have been so bitter. When the details of the trade agreement with New Zealand became known there would be due appreciation of the successful efforts of Senator Massey Greene, who negotiated it. Question of Fireblight Although potatoes had been the source of trouble between the two Governments, added the Minister, the vital issue was that of fireblight, which affected apples and pears. In 1924 Australia, because of the prevalence of fireblight in the Dominion, imposed an embargo on New Zealand apples and pears. It was vital to keep Australia free of such a decimating disease. In its attitude to fireblight the Federal Government had been guided by its biologists. With New Zealand maintaining an uncompromising attitude what could the Australian Government do? It was suggested that photographs of the wonderful oranges now being sold at all railway stations in New South Wales at Is a dozen should be sent to New Zealand for propaganda purposes. No decision in this connection was reached.

TATJRANGA ASSOCIATION INCREASE IN PRODUCTION [bt telegraph—OWN correspondent] TATJRANGA', Wednesday In his report to the annual meeting of the association, Mr. N. Chater, chairman of directors of the Tnuranga Citrus Association, stated that the season had been remarkable - for the variation in prices received, and it had brought home to the committee still further the necessity of some measure of control in the dumping of Australian lemons in New Zealand-. While the present embargo lasted, a material impetus was given to the citrus industry generally. A large additional area had been planted, and would be planted, during tlio coming season. , "Undoubtedly* we are now in a position to supply the Dominion's needs for this fruit, and any return to the old conditions under which Australia would be allowed to ship her surplus indiscriminately to our market would be disastrous," said Mr. Chater. "In the very near future we shall have a large surplus in this fruit and undoubtedly the association will have to go largely into secondary lines connected with the industry. A number of experiments have been carried out in this direction, but much remains to bo done." Figures dealing with the working of the packing house showed that for the •year ended May, 1933. there were received from growers 27,298 cases, and the total number of cases packed out was 22,805. The quantity of fruit showed a satisfactory increase from the previous year and a large additional quantity for the coming season was anticipated. In the curi*g and handling of lemons a number of economies had been effected, and had been passed on to the growers in reduced charges. _ Reference was made to proposed additions to the association's buildings and the chairman said that the financing or the additions would not. in any _ way inconvenience the He emphasised the value of co-operation in an undertaking such as that of the association. '